


The Coffee Truce

by NewEnglandBoi



Category: Edelweiss (Visual Novel)
Genre: Enemies to Friends, F/F, First fic of the fandom posted in AO3 wooooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 17:53:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19256206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewEnglandBoi/pseuds/NewEnglandBoi
Summary: Two people, from two different factions opposed by decades of conflict, find something in common:A love of coffee.





	The Coffee Truce

**Author's Note:**

> I'm the first one to post about this game I guess. For those who somehow stumbled in here without context, Edelweiss is a visual novel set in the 30's taking place in the Kaiserreich universe. I'm not gonna expand upon it from there, so look it up yourselves if you're curious.

If there was one common sound in the halls of the Geneva International School, it was that of bickering. And two individuals were the common cause of said sound: the french Ophélie Delacroix, and the German Erika Stahlberg. They would argue at all times of the day, even about the most menial of things, sometimes a single argument would continue for hours on end, and even whole days.  
Both the Syndicalist-supporting Ophélie and Reactionary-minded Erika were quick to attack the others beliefs and defend their own. This constant back and forth usually resulted in a stalemate, much like the war that their fathers fought a mere two decades ago.  
However, despite all of their differences, they had one thing in common:  
A love of coffee.  
And one incident was about to change how they looked at both the drink, and each other.  
It was early in the morning, the sun having not yet risen over the majestic Swiss mountains that surrounded them. The school was quiet, its hallways empty, its students slumbering away before another hectic day of classes and life began.  
That is, except in the cafeteria.  
The door to the room was opened, and in stepped Ophélie, looking raged with tiredness, only dressed in her nightgown and signature scarf. Having spent the night with her friends on a trip around town, where shenanigans ensued. She was so tired that she fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.  
Stumbling her way towards the coffee machine, figuring that a cup of coffee would get her ready for more of the same incidents today. She was completely unaware of a certain blonde classmate that was on the same quest as her.  
Erika had dragged herself to the cafeteria after having woken up face down on her textbook, again. Thinking a mug would wake her up for a few more minutes of studying, she made her way to the cafeteria, and to the coffee maker.  
Entirely unaware of a certain brunette on a similar mission.  
Next to their prized coffee machine was the light switch for the cafeteria, mainly for the staff to grab a cup before getting things set up for the dinnertime wave.  
Both of them reached for it, expecting to feel cold plastic.  
Only to feel each others hands.  
“Quelle la merde?” Ophélie shouted, recoiling as if having received a snake bite  
“Oh mein gott!” Erika exclaimed, practically jumping away from the switch.  
As the lights flickered on, the duo saw each other. Initial surprise gave way to anger as they stared each other down, both trying to gauge the other’s reason for being here.  
“What are you doing here?” Erika asked, annoyance and hatred written clearly on her features.  
“Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing.” Ophélie responded in a deadpan tone.  
They both looked over to the coffee machine, eyeing it like a ticket out of this mess. Slowly, Erika took a step forward, towards the machine, followed by Ophélie behind her. The French woman heard a mumble in front of her, possibly directed at her as well.  
“What was that?” She asked playfully ‘I swear if that kraut insults my friends...’ she thought to herself.  
Erika cleared her throat. Turning her head towards the other occupant of the room.  
“Your coffee,” She said tiredly. “How do you like it?”  
Ophélie was taken aback by this, not expecting the German woman to ask her such a simple question without an insult.  
“U-Uh, milk and two sugars please?” She stuttered out, receiving a nod in return  
A few minutes later, two steaming cups of coffee were made, one of which was handed to Ophélie. Taking a sip, she noticed that Erika didn’t get her order wrong, which was surprising given how little the duo interacted.  
They decided to take a seat at one of the many tables placed around the cafeteria, each plopping themselves down like they haven’t rested their feet in ages. Ophélie took a look over at Erika, trying to figure out why she decided to even act remotely cordial to her.  
The French Anarchist noticed that the woman next to her made her coffee black, not adding anything to lessen the bitter taste of the drink. Moving her blue eyes up to Erika’s face, she noted the heavy bags under her eyes and the tired look said eyes held.  
“You look like hell as well.” Her blonde haired companion said bluntly.  
Once again Ophélie was caught off guard by her sudden words, this time about her observing.  
“Yes, though I guess school and friends do make one look particularly disheveled.” She responded equally bluntly.  
“I guess I should answer your question as to why I was here then?” Erika cast a glance over to the Frenchwoman beside her. “I spent my night studying, figured I could get a few more hours in before the day starts, You?” She gestured to Ophélie.  
“Gwen, I don’t think much else needs to be said.” She said in return, letting Erika’s imagination fill in the blanks.  
The Blonde Haired Junker hummed an acknowledgement, taking a sip from her coffee.  
Both immediately felt the tension in the room drop, the hostility dropping away to a more relaxed, casual feeling  
As the few hours they had dragged on, they sat in silence, occasionally getting up to refill their cups and sometimes exchanging a few words to each other, rarely laughter could be heard as well.  
“How’d you do on that Economics exam last week?”  
“Eh, decently, could have done better. You?”  
“I thought i did pretty well on it, but there’s no way to knock Vicky off of her pedestal in that class, is there?”  
“No, I don’t think so.”  
Soon they saw the sun begin to rise over the mountains, signaling the end of their little rendezvous. Making their way through the hallways, the duo stopped by their respective rooms.  
“That was nice, hopefully we can do this again sometime.” Ophélie said, a grin making itself apparent on her face.  
Erika turned her head to glance at her, and Ophélie could swear she saw the faintest ghost of a smile dance across Erika’s lips.  
“Maybe.” Was all she said before stepping into her room.  
And so began something of a ritual for these two, a meeting in the cafeteria on the mornings where they could enjoy some peace and coffee. A small and quiet peace in the chaotic world around them.


End file.
